Although I have some reservations about portions of this legislation, its basic purpose--to increase the minimum wage for working men and women of this country-deserves the support of all Americans.

The federally legislated minimum wage for most American workers has remained static for 6 years despite a number of increases in the cost of living. Raising the minimum wage is now a matter of justice that can no longer be fairly delayed."

"Moreover, as employers are forced to pay low-skilled workers a higher wage, they are less likely to hire such workers. Citing a study by Michigan State University's David Neumark, Horowitz writes that a living wage set at 50 percent above the minimum wage increases the average wage for workers in the bottom tenth on the pay scale by 3.5 percent. However, the same wage increase reduces the...

"The media are never better at displaying their economic illiteracy than when they report on the minimum wage. ... They assume that if politicians declare that workers should get a raise, they will actually get it. But the idea that government can increase wages by decree with only good consequences rests on a serious economic fallacy: that employers set wages arbitrarily. If wages are very...

Alan Reynolds takes out the U.S. Statistical Abstract and points out only 0.4 percent of the workforce is making the minimum wage. A great many more are making less than the minimum wage due to an array of loopholes that exempt different types and sizes of businesses.

"The measure has sparked strong opposition from business leaders, who say it would deter retailers from moving into the city. But it has drawn support from labor activists, who say many workers do not earn enough money to support their families."

"If Santa Fe is anything like other resort towns here in the West, it is incredibly difficult to build anything in the town since the existing residents don’t want any high density housing for the workers mucking up their perfectly planned and controlled community. Thus, the city council’s approved zoning and building requirements drive up the cost of living and it becomes impossible for the...

Prior to the decade of the 1930s, the wages of inexperienced and unskilled labor were determined by supply and demand. There was no federal minimum wage law and labor unions did not usually organize inexperienced and unskilled workers.

Just because lawmakers raise the minimum wage, doesn't mean it won't come back for debate a few years down the road.
The reason is that the minimum wage is not automatically adjusted for inflation. Every year it becomes less valuable.

"And yet there is a problem with markets: They are absolutely and relentlessly amoral. Labor, in a market system, is just another commodity; the wage a man or woman can command has nothing to do with how much he or she needs to make to support a family or to feel part of the broader society. Some conservatives have managed to convince themselves that this poses no...

"Minimum-wage earners in 31 states and the District of Columbia can soon expect slightly bigger paychecks thanks to the third and final installment of a federal rate hike that raises the wage floor from $6.55 an hour to $7.25 an hour effective Friday (July 24)."

"If we wish to increase the incomes of the working poor (which we might well wish to do) we are forced to consider after market methods of doing so, not interventions directly into the market. That might include benefits, tax credits, all sorts of things really: but perhaps the best and most obvious would be to stop taxing them so damn much in the first place."

In three recent pieces on this page, James Glassman has inveighed against the proposal to increase the minimum wage from $4.25 to $5.15. Unfortunately, his arguments (and those of other opponents) have been based on outdated information and a simplistic analysis of how the low-wage labor market functions.

"Councilman Ricky Burgess introduced the legislation Tuesday that would implement an amended version of a 2002 living wage ordinance that guarantees city employees earn a high enough hourly rate to support their families if they are the sole provider...

A press release describing the findings of two recent studies that examined the economic impact of the minimum wage, as presented by the authors. "An increase in the minimum wage could help bolster the sluggish economic recovery, according to two new, groundbreaking studies."

"There are plenty of people who can tell you the 'benefits' of a living wage. Of course, these benefits are very shallow and short-term. A deeper economic and social analysis demonstrates the appalling costs of such regulation."

In this piece, Paul Krugman reviews a book on the concept of "living wage." Krugman makes some interesting statements about the living wage, most notably his admission that the push for a living wage is largely a political tactic.

"The heat under the 'living wage' debate has been turned up a notch. The Public Policy Institute of California has just published an extensive study by Michigan State economist David Neumark, the main conclusion of which is that, despite causing increased unemployment among the lowest-wage workers, 'living wage laws raise the wages of low-wage workers.'"

The minimum wage is a classic example of a good intention and a bad idea. The idea behind minimum wage legislation is that government, by simple decree, can increase the earning power of all marginal workers.

Just as a worker will only offer his labor time for a wage he finds beneficial, so an employer will only be willing to pay workers a wage that permits him to earn a profit. The higher the wage, the fewer workers the employer will employ.

I wasn’t in the mood Friday to celebrate the 73rd birthday of the federal minimum wage, created under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. Looking at youth unemployment numbers can be a little depressing.

"Over the last decade, a savvy left-wing political movement, supported by radical economic groups, liberal foundations, and urban activists, has lobbied for a government-guaranteed 'living wage' for low-income workers considerably higher than the current minimum wage. The movement has scored enormous success: 80 cities nationwide, from New York to San Francisco, now have living-wage...

A closer look at workers who make the minimum wage illustrates why LWOs are ineffective at relieving poverty. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, minimum wage workers are largely unmarried workers who tend to be young. About half the workers earning minimum wage are under age 25.

Table 3 shows the demographic characteristics of private sector workers (including federal contract workers) earning less than a living wage. The table shows that these workers are mostly female, adult, full-time workers, and they are disproportionately minorities.

Beginning with the landmark 1976 survey by Kearl et (1979), many surveys have asked economists whether they 'generally agree,' 'agree with provision,' or 'generally disagree' with the statement: 'A minimum wage increases unemployment among young and unskilled workers.' Over time, economists have become less favorable to the statement, as shown in Table 3.

As figure 1 shows, a parent would need to work full time at wages up to 3.9 times the current federal minimum wage (and up to 3.2 times the new, higher minimum wage for 2009) to afford housing in markets like San Francisco and New York ....

The minimum wage law is an artificial floor on wages that attempts to raise wages of low income earners to more acceptable levels.﻿ In imposing a minimum wage that firms must pay for labour, the government is legally assigning a minimum value of wages (P1) as the feel the equilibrium wage rate (P) is too low.

Minimum-wage earners in 31 states and the District of Columbia can soon expect slightly bigger paychecks thanks to the third and final installment of a federal rate hike that raises the wage floor from $6.55 an hour to $7.25 an hour effective Friday (July 24).

For those who truly care about reducing unemployment, ... the first thing we can do is recognize that a large part of the problem is being driven by the massive spike in youth unemployment, which the data suggests is partly being driven by the minimum wage.

"A closer look at workers who make the minimum wage illustrates why LWOs are ineffective at relieving poverty. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, minimum wage workers are largely unmarried workers who tend to be young. About half the workers earning minimum wage are under age 25."

This study advances proposals to substantially strengthen minimum wage laws and the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program in the United States, so that, in combination, they can guarantee decent living standards for all full-time U.S. workers and their families.

"This study looks at the effects of the introduction and subsequent uprating of the minimum wage on the prices of UK goods and services, comparing the prices of goods produced by industries in which UK minimum wage workers make up a substantial share of total costs with the prices of goods and services that make less use of minimum wage labour."

"Economists across the political spectrum have pointed out that for many sweatshop workers the alternatives are much, much worse. In one famous 1993 case U.S. senator Tom Harkin proposed banning imports from countries that employed children in sweatshops. In response a factory in Bangladesh laid off 50,000 children."

"The minimum wage law is an artificial floor on wages that attempts to raise wages of low income earners to more acceptable levels.﻿ In imposing a minimum wage that firms must pay for labour, the government is legally assigning a minimum value of wages (P1) as the feel the equilibrium wage rate (P) is too low."

"Typically, a living wage is set anywhere from 50 percent to 100 percent above the current federal minimum wage of $5.15 an hour and often higher if employers do not provide health benefits. Thus far, there has been only modest resistance, even from local governments for which the cost of doing business inevitably rises."

The National Employment Law Project has compiled a list of places that have a living wage ordinance in place. The list also details the level(s) of the wage and who is eligible for coverage under the ordinance.

"A large percentage of American families have low incomes, which lead to a host of challenges and disadvantages for both parents and children. In 2006, one out of every three families with children had incomes below twice the federal poverty level (FPL): $40,888 for a family with two adults and two children...."

In this essay, Acs and Turner outline their proposals to enhance low-income families' purchasing power and reduce unusually high housing costs through a package of reforms and policy initiatives that tackle both the income side and expenditure side of family budgets.

Minimum wage laws set legal minimums for the hourly wages paid to certain groups of workers. In the United States, amendments to the Fair Labor Standards Act have increased the federal minimum wage from $.25 per hour in 1938 to $5.15 in 1997.

"On April 1, 1992, New Jersey's minimum wage rose from $4.25 to $5.05 per hour. To evaluate the impact of the law we surveyed 410 fast-food restaurants in New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania before and after the rise."

We review the burgeoning literature on the employment effects of minimum wages - in the United States and other countries - that was spurred by the new minimum wage research beginning in the early 1990s.

Attempts to raise the minimum wage often focus on the purported poverty-alleviating results of these policies. Economic research, however, has found little connection between changes in poverty and increases in the minimum wage.

Full-time workers who put in a full day’s work should receive enough wages to purchase the goods and services necessary to meet their most basic needs. The federal minimum wage, originally passed as part of the Fair Labor Standards Act, was established to ensure that low-income workers earn sufficient wages.

"In October 2006, the Economic Policy Institute released a 'Raise the Minimum Wage' statement signed by more than 650 individuals. Using an open-ended, non-anonymous questionnaire, we asked the signatories to explain their thinking on the issue."

"This study, by Dr. Aaron Yelowitz of the University of Kentucky, utilizes government collected data to examine the labor market effects of Santa Fe’s living wage increase. Dr. Yelowitz finds that the living wage in Santa Fe significantly increased unemployment and decreased hours worked for those who were able to keep their job."

"The modern living wage movement was born in Baltimore in 1994, when the city passed an ordinance requiring firms to pay employees a rate above the minimum wage while working on city contracts. …[O]ver 120 communities have followed suit, some setting wage floors more than twice the federal minimum wage, and some requiring various benefits."

"Over four decades of empirical studies leave no doubt that increases in the minimum wage do reduce employment to some extent. Yet by most counts, the number of lost jobs is trivial in the aggregate. Only for teenagers are statistically significant negative effects on employment consistently observed."

"Although arguments for and against the minimum wage are the same today as when the Fair Labor Standards Act was passed forty years ago, they are now accompanied by more sophisticated approaches to the measurement of the law’s impact. Moreover, the increase in minimum wage coverage makes the issue more important."

This paper provides evidence on a wide set of margins along which labor markets can adjust in response to increases in the minimum wage, including wages, hours, employment, and ultimately labor income, representing the central margins of adjustment that impact the economic well-being of workers potentially affected by minimum wage increases.

"Pressure on federal agencies to reduce the size of their workforce has created incentives for contracting for goods and services to private businesses. Most of the workers employed by these private businesses do not enjoy wages and benefits comparable to federal workers."

Noting that proponents of minimum wage increases generally cite single mothers as beneficiaries of the policy, this paper sets out to present data on whether or not this assumption is true. According to Sabia's findings, increases in minimum wage standards...

We find no evidence indicating that minimum wages reduce the average hours of training of trained employees, and little to suggest that minimum wages reduce the percentage of workers receiving training.

"In the past few years, though, as the federal minimum wage has remained fixed at $5.15 and the cost of living (specifically housing) has risen drastically in many regions, similar campaigns have produced so many victories (currently, 134) that Kern speaks collectively of 'a widespread living-wage movement.'"

Burkhauser and Sabia, professors of economics at Cornell University, find that the majority of the beneficiaries of a minimum wage hike are not in poverty, a fact which makes the minimum wage highly inefficient and often an ineffective means of combating poverty.

In this podcast, economist Peter Van Doren discusses low-skill workers and the minimum wage. According to Van Doren, many of those working for minimum wage are often teenagers living in middle class homes, not breadwinners living in poverty conditions.

As Congress eyes an increase in the minimum wage, experts discuss the implications of such a policy, focusing on how it would affect workers and business as well as other facets that lawmakers must address.

"Bryan Caplan, of George Mason University and blogger at EconLog, talks about his book, The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies. Caplan argues that democracies work well in giving voters what they want but unfortunately, what voters want isn't particularly wise, especially when it comes to economic policy. He outlines a series of systematic biases we often have on...

Katherine Newman talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about Newman's case studies of fast-food workers in Harlem. Newman discusses the evolution of their careers and fortunes over time along with their dreams and successes and failures.

"People don't like to think that anyone's labor is worth less than the minimum wage. Someone might end up flipping burgers for $5.00 an hour. You might think the minimum wage is a way of paying some sort of dignity premium -- hence language like 'living wage.' People with such good intentions look at the direct beneficiaries of these policies, say, burger flippers now making $7.50 an hour. They pat themselves on the back. But they rarely count the invisible costs: willing human beings who never get hired in the first place."

"Moderator Bob Liff and a panel of experts debate the highly controversial 'living wage' bill, which is currently being considered in the New York City Council. In May 2010, a major economic revitalization project in the Bronx—at the Kingsbridge Armory—was scuttled by a requirement that its developers and tenants pay a higher hourly wage than the Federal and City minimum. Elected officials and...

"Naturally, workers are concerned about wages, fringe benefits, and job security. Many people feel vulnerable, at the mercy of the 'system.' One response has been the development of a variety of unions, professional organizations, and other groups dedicated to looking after the interests of members. There is evidence that working people have made significant progress over the past two...

"'Newtown' just outside Birmingham is looking dirty, rundown and old. 50 % of its citizens are unemployed, living in grey towerblocks overlooking the urban devastation. The flats are poorly equipped with basic furnishings. All people can do is watch television. As the rich people get richer, the poor get poorer. Chris Pond from the Lay Pay Unit blames poverty and hardship on the Conservative...

In this clip, James Dorn engages in a debate over the pros and cons of the minimum wage. Dorn believes that the U.S. should abolish the federal minimum wage, citing Hong Kong's economic success without one.

Pedace presents his research concerning the impact of minimum wage on job training and unemployment. He finds that minimum wages cause workers with the least amount of skills to be unemployed for longer periods of time.

"In the latest 'Economics 101' video released today by the Center for Freedom and Prosperity Foundation (CFP), Orphe Divounguy, a graduate student from the University of Southampton in England, explains that minimum wage laws hinder the ability of low-skilled workers to get jobs. Entitled 'The Job-Killing Impact of Minimum Wage Laws,' this video examines how the minimum wage hurts young...

"Throughout history, women and men in the labor movement have struggled to gain power in an economy that often seems to work against them, placing profit over people. For the past hundred years, the United States has seen great strides in workers' rights, from the formation of unions, the eight-hour workday, child labor laws, and the creation of a minimum wage. Despite these gains, there...

In the interview, Friedman expresses his views on inflation, price controls, and the minimum wage. In regards to the minimum wage, Friedman argues that it actually hurts rather than helps those in the low-income bracket.

An address by President Franklin D. Roosevelt regarding social justice towards workers the year before Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act.

"Our nation so richly endowed with natural resources and with a capable and industrious population should be able to devise ways and means of insuring to all our able-bodied working men and women a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. A...

Teddy Roosevelt lays out his platform before the Convention of the National Progressive Party in Chicago, including a call for minimum and living wages.

"Ultimately we desire to use the Government to aid, as far as can safely be done, in helping the industrial tool-users to become in part tool-owners, just as our farmers now are. Ultimately the Government may have to join more...

"The question presented for determination by these appeals is the constitutionality of the Act of September 19, 1918, providing for the fixing of minimum wages for women and children in the District of Columbia. 40 Stat. 960, c. 174."

This economic classic is noted for providing us with terms for and expositions of such key economic ideas as the division of labor, "invisible hand," self-interest as a beneficial force, and freedom of trade.

"This document intends to present in a complete and systematic manner, even if by means of an overview, the Church's social teaching, which is the fruit of careful Magisterial reflection and an expression of the Church's constant commitment in fidelity to the grace of salvation wrought in Christ and in loving concern for humanity's destiny. Herein the most relevant theological, philosophical,...

"We have not only seen minimum wage and maximum hour provisions prove their worth economically and socially under government auspices in 1933, 1934 and 1935, but the people of this country, by an overwhelming vote, are in favor of having the Congress—this Congress—put a floor below which industrial wages shall not fall, and a ceiling beyond which the hours of industrial labor shall not rise....

All but the hopelessly reactionary will agree that to conserve our primary resources of man power, government must have some control over maximum hours, minimum wages, the evil of child labor and the exploitation of unorganized labor.

As we work with Congress in the coming year to chart a new course in Iraq and strengthen our military to meet the challenges of the 21st century, we must also work together to achieve important goals for the American people here at home. This work begins with keeping our economy growing.

Today the minimum wage is 40 cents an hour. Tomorrow the new 75-cent minimum rate goes into effect for the 22 million workers who are protected by the Fair Labor Standards Act, our Federal wage-hour law.

Mises explained economic phenomena as the outcomes of countless conscious, purposive actions, choices, and preferences of individuals, each of whom was trying as best as he or she could ... to attain ... wants and ... avoid ... consequences.

I WANT TO EXPRESS my great satisfaction in signing the bill to increase the minimum wage to a dollar twenty-five cents an hour, and to extend the coverage to three million, six hundred thousand people today who are not covered by this most important piece of national legislation.

"The Living Wage Act of 2006 is Title I of the 'Way to Work Amendment Act of 2006' D.C. Law 16-118 (D.C. Official Code §2-220.01 to .11), which became effective June 8, 2006. Recipients of new contracts or government assistance (grant, loan or tax increment financing) shall pay affiliated employees and subcontractors who perform services under the contracts or assistance no less...

Man, Economy and the State provides a sweeping presentation of Austrian economic theory, a reconstruction of many aspects of that theory, a rigorous criticism of alternative schools, and an inspiring look at a science of liberty that concerns nearly everything and should concern everyone.

"This is a habeas corpus case originating in the Supreme Court of New York. Relator was indicted in the County Court of Kings County and sent to jail to await trial upon the charge that, as manager of a laundry, he failed to obey the mandatory order of the state industrial commissioner prescribing minimum wages for women employees."

Then-presidential candidate Barack Obama addresses a working class group and discusses the economy and his plans to improve it.

"But through hard times and good, great challenge and great change, the promise of Janesville has been the promise of America – that our prosperity can and must be the tide that lifts every boat; that we rise or fall as one nation; that our economy is...

The federally legislated minimum wage for most American workers has remained static for 6 years despite a number of increases in the cost of living. Raising the minimum wage is now a matter of justice that can no longer be fairly delayed.

Pope Leo XIII critiques socialism and capitalism, defends property rights, and lays out guidelines for justice in society within the Catholic traditions of human nature and Western Civilization. He places responsibilities upon how labor and employers behave toward each other. Additionally, he outlines the roles of the individual, the family, fathers, the church, society, etc.

"The use of taxpayer dollars to promote sustenance and creation of living wage jobs will increase consumer income, decrease levels of poverty and reduce the need for taxpayer funded social programs in other areas; and When City funds are used to contract for services such contracts should demonstrate an effort to promote an employment environment that enhances the general quality of life...

Requires $9.14 per hour with an increase each year on January 1 in an amount corresponding to the prior year’s increase in the Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners for the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose metropolitan area."

"To revise, codify, and enact without substantive change certain general and permanent laws, related to public buildings, property, and works, as title 40, United States Code, 'Public Buildings, Property, and Works'."

"The scheme of the book, which is displayed in more detail in the Analytical Table of Contents, is as follows. In Part I. it is argued, subject, of course, to a large number of qualifications, that the economic welfare of a community of given size is likely to be greater (1) the larger is the volume of the national dividend, and (2) the larger is the absolute share of...

Although the wage issue may now have been momentary settled, the [minimum wage] act includes other provisions that have been subject to legislation through the years and may again become the focus of legislative consideration.

This case is generally said to have ended the Lochner era of Supreme Court decisions protecting economic liberties utilizing substantive due process reasoning. It upheld a "statute of the State of Washington ... providing for the establishment of minimum wages for women."

Milton's prose is clear and the book is good for those who haven't majored in economics. He gives an unwavering defense of personal freedom and individual autonomy from a minimalist government perspective.

"Now that the welfare system has been largely dismantled, the fate of America's poor depends on what happens to them in the low-wage labor market. In this timely volume, Katherine S. Newman explores whether the poorest workers and families benefited from the tight labor markets and good economic times of the late 1990s. Following black and Latino workers in Harlem, who began their work lives...

In this classic about economics, freedom, and the relationship between the two, Milton and Rose Friedman explain how our freedom has been eroded and our prosperity undermined through the explosion of laws, regulations, agencies, and spending.

This book traces the life's work of a man now widely regarded as one of the greatest economists, political philosophers and social theorists of the century. The result is the most alive and accessible introduction to Hayek to date.

"With almost one-third of all working people today earning wages below the official poverty line, community coalitions around the country have responded by proposing 'living wage' ordinances at the municipal level. This book analyzes the specifics of this new economic concept, as well as documents the results of its implementation in cities around the nation."

"A distinctive feature of Card and Krueger's research is the use of empirical methods borrowed from the natural sciences, including comparisons between the 'treatment' and 'control' groups formed when the minimum wage rises for some workers but not for others. In addition, the authors critically reexamine the previous literature on the minimum wage and find that it, too, lacks support for the...

"The minimum wage has long been a contentious political issue. Minimum-wage supporters often maintain that the minimum wage is an indispensable tool for assisting the working poor. At its current level of $5.15 an hour, the minimum wage is inadequate for supporting a family. Even as this book goes to press, Congress is debating a further increase in the minimum wage. Though an increase would...

"While the past 35 years have been marked by generally strong growth in productivity, most working people have not seen comparable gains in their wages and benefits. Essentially, they are being denied a fair share of the growth that they helped create. Unemployment has been at or above 9% for close to two years, and wages, depending on how they are measured, are growing very modestly or not at...

"Founded in 1991, the Employment Policies Institute is a non-profit research organization dedicated to studying public policy issues surrounding employment growth. In particular, EPI focuses on issues that affect entry-level employment. Among other issues, EPI research has quantified the impact of new labor costs on...

"This year, 3.5 million people will experience homelessness. The federal government says 42% of them are working at some point during the week. Clearly, the work ethic is there, but the wage to afford basic housing is not. These folks come from our 10.1 million minimum wage workers. Minimum wage jobs, the ones that can't be outsourced, were once stepping stones. Now they are the jobs raising...

At Intellectual Takeout, we think it's about time freedom went viral.
Before our generation is the opportunity to embrace freedom, to unleash each individual's potential, and to have a prosperous future. And yet it seems that almost everyone running our cities, states, and federal government is intent on destroying freedom and burying us in debt to pay for it.
If you, like us, believe that...

In the genre of documentaries revealing the problems with public education, "Kids Aren't Cars" focuses on helping us understand how schools are modeled after a factory system and what we need to do to change them. Understandably, treating kids as if they are a product to be manufactured has had detrimental effects on children going through the system and the overall level of education in America...

"Many parents and taxpayers feel helpless because the problems can seem so monumental. 'Kids Aren't Cars' director Kyle Olson reviews what he learned in the filmmaking process and the small things individuals can do that will add up to make a big difference."
Here's Kyle being interviewed on a few things you can do and share with friends, family, and educators:
Part 1Part 2

We all know Facebook is awesome for keeping up with friends, sharing about your life, and even distributing ideas. One great new way to get people thinking is to take advantage of the new banner profile with the help of Intellectual Takeout. Here's what one of our banners looks like loaded up on a Facebook profile:
If you haven't changed your banner profile, than Facebook is likely ...

While many documentaries on the education system focus on various examples of failure, "Flunked" takes a bit different tack. While certainly acknowledging and exposing the failures of the system, "Flunked" also seeks out individuals and approaches that ARE working in education. The hope is that these points of hope may serve as examples for others working in education.
Here's the trailer:...

Okay, so your friends and family keep telling you to jump
on the social media bandwagon, but you have no idea what the fuzz is about.
Here’s the deal: The Internet gives liberty-loving folk like
us an opportunity we have never had before: to make the case for individual
liberty, limited government and free market economics instantly and globally.
But with the vast amounts of information...

Looking for an internship? If so, Intellectual Takeout has an opportunity for you.
We have plenty of work to do as well as ideas to spread, and we need your help to get it done.
If you're interested in an internship with Intellectual Takeout, you likely share our passion and you're excited about the possibility of working for a great cause. That said, you might have a few questions about what "...

Another movie that tells the story of the failing public school model in the United States is “The Lottery”. It takes its own unique look at the systems by focusing on the use of lotteries to choose which children will be plucked from failing public schools and put into more successful public charter schools.
Here’s the trailer:
You can watch the whole movie right now with the help of Hulu...

While there are a variety of really good documentaries about the failing public school systems in America, "The Cartel" stands alone in its frontal assault on the teacher unions, particularly those in New Jersey. If you'd like to get an inside look into how some teacher unions operate and the effects they have on education, you'll want to watch "The Cartel."From the movie's website: "This movie...

Are you concerned your child isn't getting the education necessary to compete in the global economy or even, perhaps, to carry on the lessons and learning of Western Civilization? If so, you have a number of choices. You could, of course, consider changing schools to a charter school, private school, or even homeschooling. If that's overwhelming for you right now, you can always supplement your...

Let's face it, most of us love to watch TV and movies. A wonderful way to spread ideas is to embrace our love of the cinema by hosting a movie night with friends and family.
There are numerous documentaries that do a fantastic job of sharing the ideas of liberty. You can pull a small group of friends together at your house or even consider asking a local restaurant or tavern to let you...

Sure, the idea of homeschooling is likely overwhelming. Indeed, homeschooling is a big commitment and a lot of work. That said, there's a reason why more and more parents are turning to homeschooling as the best option for their child(ren)'s education(s).
Perhaps you are starting to realize that the public school system has changed a lot since you last attended it. Maybe you can't afford private...

Curiously, not a few individuals are realizing that their education (K-12 and even college) neglected to provide them with as much understanding of the world as they would like. At Intellectual Takeout, we believe that however you feel about your education, there is still much to be learned. To that end, we'd like to refer you to one book and a collection of "study guides" that serve as...

How often do you hear conservatives being called a bunch of knuckle-dragging Neanderthals?
Here's the reality: Conservatism, classical liberalism, and libertarianism have a rich, intellectual heritage reaching back many millennia. Our ideas are not just some historical relics from bygone eras; they are the very foundation of Western Civilization in general, amd the United States in particular....

Sadly (or happily for some), life goes on after college. So does the fight for freedom.
Building friendships, networking, and growing the movement is critical after college. If our ideas are to be preserved and promoted, you need to stay involved. Plus, in a time when the individual seems to be ever more isolated and adrift, these groups can help plug you into social networks you can use....

Okay, so we don't expect you to drive a wooden stake into your flat screen. Plus, we're total hypocrites since we watch some TV. But here's the point: People waste a ton of time watching TV. If you're cool with government taking over your future, than keep watching Dancing with the Stars. If you consider yourself to be a free man or woman and want to live in a free society, then watch what you...

A great way to make a difference on your campus by spreading the ideas of individual rights, limited government, and free markets is to tutor. Plus, you can occasionally make a little bit of money.
Depending on the subject matter, you will be discussing a variety of ideas, key thinkers, and theories. As anyone who has tutored knows, there are almost always opportunities to expand upon a topic....

The Association of American Educators (AAE) advances the teaching profession through personal growth, professional development, teacher advocacy and protection, as well as promoting excellence in education so that our members receive the respect, recognition and reward they deserve.

We've built Intellectual Takeout to provide you with quick, easy access to information. In time, we hope to become your one-stop-shop for the ideas of freedom.
If your professor allows you to bring your laptop to class (if not, you can use an iPhone), we recommend keeping a tab open to Intellectual Takeout.
As we continue to generate new content on the site, you will be able to fact check the...

When it comes to campus life injustices, student fees rank high on any list. On most campuses across the country a mandatory student fee is assessed to each student at the beginning of the year. A portion of this fee, which may be several hundred dollars, will go toward funding various political, religious, and interest groups.
A college requiring you to support groups espousing ideas which...

If
you're not happy with the direction of the country and you want to take
back your future, at some point you will have to do something. It's not
enough to just know that we're going in the wrong direction. You
actually have to step out and get involved.
Most college campuses have conservative and libertarian student
groups. Find one of them to join.
Below is a list of some of the larger non-...

Now that you're at college and the initial excitement has worn off, maybe you're thinking that the course selection is a bit biased and you'd like some options.
So how do you (the consumer) get the college (the business) to change up its offerings? It certainly won't be easy. Nevertheless it's something that should be done--particularly since you're footing the bill.
A good, education in a free...

Whatever activism you choose to do on campus, you need to get your story out. A popular tactic used by the Left is to isolate and intimidate freedom-loving students. You're not alone and there are a lot of people in your city, state, and country that can probably support your efforts. They just need to know what is happening.
Whenever you can, record in-class bias, discrimination against...

The reality is that most students (and people for that matter) won't speak out. It's called human nature and it was recognized in the Declaration of Independence: "...all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer,
while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the
forms to which they are accustomed."
While you might feel alone when debating a teacher,...

In the land of the free and the home of the brave, speech codes are a particularly odious example of politically correct repression on many a college campus. In some ways, college campuses are the least free places for thinking and speech in America.
Your best friend for fighting your school's repressive speech codes is the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). Here's a short clip...

Running for office isn't easy, even in college. Not everyone is cut
out for it, either. For those of you who are, this completely non-partisan section is for you.
If you are inclined to pursue student government,
we're not going to spend time on telling you how to get elected. A good
place to go for ideas and training is CampusReform.org. Rather, we want to help you in office, as a believer in...